Good Intentions
by shopgirl152
Summary: Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you're just not meant to be together. Even if you do have good intentions. Buffy/Angel one-shot


**A/N**:Based off the song "Best of Intentions" by Travis Tritt. Taken from the chorus through the end of the song. With a slight variation on one verse.

* * *

_I gave you a ring,  
__and I promised you things,  
__I'd always thought we'd do._

Buffy gasped as Angel pulled something out of his pocket. He opened up a beautiful black box, revealing a silver plated ring with a heart in the middle.

Buffy smiled, staring at the beautiful ring as Angel placed it on her finger. "Oh Angel."

"Wear it with the heart toward you."

"Why?"

"It means you belong to someone."

Buffy stared at the beautiful ring as Angel wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him as the rest of the Bronze seemed to melt away.

* * *

_But my best laid plans,  
__slipped right through my hands,  
__to show my love for you._

Buffy sat on the edge of Angel's bed, shivering from the cold. She looked up as he walked back into the room, carrying a t-shirt. "Here, slip this on."

Buffy obeyed, slipping on the big t-shirt. She looked up at Angel, her eyes filling with tears. "It's just so hard. I-I never wanted this; now there's demons and fighting and-and—"

"Shhh. It's alright." Angel wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "It's okay; I'm here now."

Buffy leaned into him, nuzzling his neck. "Can I stay here tonight? I don't want to go home."

Angel nodded, gently tilting Buffy's head up. He looked into her eyes; she was beautiful. Buffy returned the stare, her face moving closer and closer to his. She kissed him softly. "I love you."

He returned the kiss, whispering. "I love you Buffy." The two continued kissing, Angel slowly lying down on the bed, Buffy on top of him.

* * *

Buffy sighed in her sleep, vaguely aware of Angel next to her. The feel of his skin against her own was a comfort to her. She lightly brushed her fingertips along his strong back. She yawned, falling into a deeper sleep.

* * *

Angel woke with a start. Something was happening; something bad. He felt dizzy. "Oh no." He jumped out of bed, racing through the front door of the house as his soul fought for freedom.

He stumbled on a rock, lying face down in a puddle. "No! No! Buffy! Buffy! I have to get out of here!" He jumped up, struggling against the blackness that was slowly taking his soul. In minutes, he would forget everything; he would forget HER. "Buffy!"

He doubled over on the ground, clutching his chest. "No." The word became a whimper as it escaped his lips. He breathed heavily; the darkness engulfing him further.

A minute later, he stood up. Shaking himself off, he smirked, lighting a cigarette. "It's good to be back."

* * *

_And if you could read my heart,  
__Then you'd know without exception… _

Buffy ducked and dived, lashing out in a karate kick, barely missing Angelus head. The hate and anger boiled over inside her, causing her to fight harder than ever.

"Come on lover; what's the matter? Can't take me?" Angelus leered at her, daring her to stake him.

"Oh, I can take you. You're just one vampire out of a thousand." Buffy jumped up, kicking out in mid-air, causing Angelus to trip over a tombstone. She landed in front of him, stake aimed at his heart. He leered at her again, daring her to stake him. She held the stake aloft, hand shaking.

Angelus smirked. "I knew you couldn't take me; until tomorrow…_lover_." With that, he ran through the trees, vanishing out of sight.

Buffy stared after him, hand still holding the stake. With a shuddering breath, she dropped to the ground, sobbing. She couldn't do it; she just couldn't do it. She could never slay her boyfriend; it was just to much.

* * *

_It was all,  
__with the best of intentions._

Angelus punched Spike, sending him sprawling on the floor next to Drusilla. He reached out, yanking the sword from Acathla. He smirked as Buffy dropped down in front of him, her sword at the ready.

"_Hello lover_." Buffy struck out at Angelus, going for his heart, but missing by inches. She jumped forward, ready to strike him again, but he came at her more forcefully. She jumped back. The pair continued to duel, Buffy counting the seconds; Acathla could wake up any minute, sucking her and Angel into hell and taking the rest of the world with it. She gasped as a vortex opened behind Angel, swirling violently.

"Buffy? Buffy, what happened? Where am I? I-I don't remember." Angel looked up at Buffy, confusion on his face.

Buffy stared in shock; her boyfriend was back. Somehow, his soul had been restored. She fought back tears as she helped Angel up. He tilted his head down, his lips connecting with hers. The kiss warmed her all over and for one moment, she was home.

She opened her eyes, peering over Angel's shoulder at the swirling vortex. She choked back a sob, knowing what she had to do. She closed her eyes, kissing Angel again. "I love you."

"I love you." He kissed her tenderly.

"Close your eyes." Buffy watched as Angel closed his eyes. He looked so innocent, so sweet. Maybe just one more kiss…no, she had to do it; if she didn't, everything would be sucked into the vortex. Her heart ached as she leaned in close to Angel…the sword hitting its mark. She watched helplessly as Angel was sucked into the vortex, a mixture of hurt and confusion on his face.

In the silence that followed, all anyone could hear was the sound of a sword clattering to the floor and a girl sobbing, whispering, almost inaudible. "I'm so sorry Angel."

* * *

_So here I am asking forgiveness,  
__and praying that you'll understand,  
__don't think I take you for granted,  
__boy I know just how lucky I am._

Buffy stepped into the mansion, her footsteps echoing on the hollow floor. She walked over to the fireplace, placing the ring on the floor. "I'm so sorry Angel. I had to do it. If-if I hadn't, we all would have gone to hell; I never wanted to stake you. I never wanted to hurt you" She smiled. "I know I was lucky…that you loved me. The luckiest girl in the world; you probably deserve somebody better than me. Someone who wouldn't have to stake you to save the world." Buffy smiled wryly. "Now there's devotion for you, huh?" She wiped away a tear.

* * *

_Though you deserve so much better  
You won't find devotion more true  
__Cause I had the best of intentions,  
__Girl I had the best of intentions…_

Angel walked up to the school, watching as Buffy struggled against the massive crowd of high schoolers who were fleeing for their lives, running from the huge snake. He watched helplessly, his mind wandering back to the past year; of coming back from hell, shivering and uncivilized, traumatized from the hell fire and torture; of almost attacking Buffy again, shortly after she found him in the mansion.

He had been a danger to himself; a danger to everyone. By all rights, she should have staked him again, right then and there. But she didn't. No, she chained him up, fearing for his safety and the safety of her friends, not worrying about her own safety.

He thought back to the night she caught him practicing tai-chi in the garden, how beautiful she had looked. And then, the night they practiced tai-chi together; how fluidly she moved, the sweat on her skin glistening in the moonlight. They had almost kissed that night, but had stopped, knowing the consequences.

The night he wanted nothing more than to leave the world for good; standing up on that mountain, waiting for the sun to strike him, waiting to be dusted. But she wouldn't let him.

_"Nobody wants me Buffy; the world doesn't want me!"_

_"But I want you!"_

He shuddered; if it hadn't been for her, all her love, all her caring, all her devotion, where would he be? He shook his head; he would be a pile of dust, stuck on that mountain top for all eternity. He wanted her so badly, yet he knew he could never give her a normal life; the kind of life she needed and deserved. She needed to walk in the light…and that was why he had to go.

Buffy didn't want any of this either; she had pleaded with him, asking him to stay. The heartache had been more than he could bear. But in the end, they had both agreed that this was the best thing for them.

He sighed, slowly walking in between two large fire trucks that had pulled up to stop the smoldering fire pouring from the school. He waited for Buffy to turn around, his heart breaking. He caught her eye and nodded. Without one word, one thought, he turned away, refusing to look back. If he looked back, she would only hurt more. She needed a better life than what he could give her; he owed her that much.

_Yes I had the best of intentions,  
__Loving you._


End file.
